Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin today said that linebacker James Harrison (knee), cornerback Ike Taylor (shoulder, forearm) and right tackle Marcus Gilbert (ankle) will have their status determined in practice this week.
Harrison worked out for team doctors Sunday morning on the field and looked like he could have played, if necessary.
I also expect Gilbert to be back this week.
Taylor, on the other hand, might be a little more limited, though the Steelers lost some options when they placed Cortez Allen on IR.
Tomlin said the Steelers used Taylor to shadow A.J. Green Sunday because he was the corner who was most familiar with the Bengals' star and had matched up one-on-one with him in the past.
The theory was that Taylor is also their best tackling cornerback and since Cincinnati throws so many underneath passes, having Taylor come up and make the tackle on Green was better than having him get a bunch of yards after the catch.
Of course, that blew up in their face when they had no safety help for Taylor on the final play of the third quarter when he was beaten over the top for an 81-yard TD. Prior to that, Green had eight receptions for 55 yards against Taylor. That, the Steelers could have lived with.
@ Tomlin praised Arthur Moats, Antwon Blake, Stephon Tuitt, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Terrance Garvin for their play against the Bengals.
@ It will be interesting to see if Julio Jones is able to play this week. Jones had a monster game Monday night at Green Bay, but suffered a hip injury and did not return.
If he doesn't play, the Steelers' chances of victory in this game are greatly increased.
That said, Martavis Bryant, with seven, has more TD catches this season than Jones.
I don't believe the falcons can beat the steelers if jones doesn't play. when jones has > 100 yds the falcons are 4-2. less than 100 yds and they are 1-6.
ReplyDeletereal interesting comments when watching the packers last night. commentators pointed out that packers prefer to play young players more. they acknowledge you will get some mistakes, but also point out you learn what you've got much quicker. there was also some crazy stat that the packers have the most players in the nfl on their roster that they have drafted and most players that have only played for one team. it was actually pretty cool.
I think adamg made a pretty good point of why the steelers defense lacks depth right now in that they held onto veterans to make one last push. with more veterans expected to depart this offseason, we will see even more young guys get their shot next year. I actually think the defense will be better next year than this year. just a hunch.
On the Steelers having "no safety help for Taylor on the final play of the third quarter when he was beaten over the top for an 81-yard TD": do we know if that was a mistake in play calling or a mistake in execution on part of the safeties? I know Taylor has taken a lot of heat for this play and he wouldn't let Mitchell take the blame for it, but the answer to this question speaks volumes about what the Steelers need to do to limit big plays in the last three games. Ike can't be left on an island like he has throughout his career, but maybe he can still be effective if he gets safety help (assuming Troy and Mitchell are capable of providing such help at this point). Maybe I'm just grasping at straws when it comes to the secondary!
ReplyDeleteif you watch the replay, Mitchell is the lone safety playing centerfield. the bengals run two deep and Mitchell was overtop the other WR leaving ike all alone. was Mitchell supposed to do that or was he guessing - we will never know. I'm guessing he was supposed to be playing centerfield and got caught leaning one way. worst part is that he missed the tackle and let green coast into the endzone.
ReplyDeleteThought I read somewhere that Mitchell either stumbled or fell and that's why he wasn't helping over the top. You can tell by the way Ike played the pass he was expecting deep safety help.
ReplyDeleteIf Mitchell was the deep safety and was forced to choose between covering one of two deep routes he must be an idiot to not have chosen Green.
ReplyDeleteI was really excited about Mitchell but he's been a real dissappointment. Will Allen would have been just as good. I don't think Mitchell has one pass defensed.
Thanks for throwing out those yardage stats of ike vs green. I was guilty of bitching about taylors play myself, but I guess that one huge play skewed the stats pretty heavy in my mind. Looking at it now, I dont think he had a bad game outside of that one horrible play. Green is a hell of a receiver.
ReplyDeleteYes the Packers play a lot of young players, How has it helped them win Superbowls?
ReplyDeleteMitchell had man free, deep single high. He has to remain deeper than the deepest. He didn't. Chased the slot WR who ran a shallower 7. Shoulda been over the top of Green who was the deepest threat. Still, not entirely Mitchell's fault. And Ike was right not to let MM take all the blame. Ike was, afterall trailing by a good 4 yards. Both were at fault. No bueno.
ReplyDeleteSometimes Mitchell looks like a FS that wants to be playing SS. And that just doesn't work. He wants to come downhill and be physical and that isn't what the team needs him to do most of the time.
ReplyDeleteMitchell bit to the right on an underneath pattern. He said after the game he should have been there for help with Ike.
ReplyDeleteMitchell has three pass defenses.
Mitchell has received most of the crticism,which is deserved,but Polamalu has been just as awful. He continues to guess and take chances but no longer has the speed to catch up if he's wrong. I don't see how Will Allen could be any worse but Tomlin and LeBeau are loyal to fault with veterans. We just saw that illustrated when they put Taylor on Jones. Sure Ike has done well against him but that was a younger Ike.
ReplyDeleteAs for Julio Jones,those hip injuries can be tricky and I advise Atlanta to sit him for a week as a precaution.
Dale, could you please make sure that Ben is aware that Atlanta is the only NFL team he has never beaten (besides the Steelers, of course)? He only seems to play well when he has something personal at stake. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteRobbie: I don't know about that. Lots of commenters would have us believe that Ben has beaten the Steelers on lots of occasions.
ReplyDelete@Geoff,
ReplyDeletewell, they beat the steelers the last one they were in and since that time they have a .695 winning percentage compared to .546 for the steelers and they have made the playoffs every year.
btw, I didn't say it made them better, just pointing out what might set them apart. clearly they have been successful at it.
On the Packers having the most players having only played for one team...I think we all know the last team to have ALL its players play for only one team...something we'll surely never see again.
ReplyDeleteChoosing your poison is a tenant of symmetrical pass defense. Look at the TD thrown to Martavous. Same route relationships on the outside against a single high safety. When the pressure doesn't get there it is bombs away.
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ReplyDelete^-- What he said..
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